


he was a traitor

by V_e_s_a_n_u_s



Series: Whumptober 2018 [6]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age II
Genre: Angst, Break Up, Canonical Character Death, Character Death, F/M, Mental Breakdown, Romance, Whumptober
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-06
Updated: 2018-10-06
Packaged: 2019-07-27 08:46:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,169
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16215569
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/V_e_s_a_n_u_s/pseuds/V_e_s_a_n_u_s
Summary: Day number 6 of #whumptober! Prompt was betrayed! (ouch)Anders only betrayed her twice. But the second time, she couldn't forgive him.





	he was a traitor

“I told you I would break your heart. Just know it breaks mine to do it.”

Marian didn’t hear anything after that. Her ears were ringing loudly, the air becoming thick and suffocating her. He didn’t  _ break  _ her heart, he ripped it, tore it to shreds. The weight of it pressed down on her chest. She was losing him. She took a step backwards in disbelief, none of it quite settling in.

“You were the one shining light in my life,” he said, looking down.

“And you were mine, Anders! You still are!” She grabbed onto his sleeves, pulling him closer. He took a reluctant step forwards, “Tell me this is what you want,” she said, eyes tearful, “Because I don’t believe it.” 

“I-” he stammered, looking away. 

She cupped his face gently in her hands, cheeks now damp as the tears rolled down them, “Look at me, and tell me this is what you want. Say it, and I’ll let you go. But you have to mean it.”

Anders looked into her eyes. They were filled with hurt, with longing and with pain. He wished that he could take that look away. But he couldn’t. He knew that. “Marian,” he whispered, pressing a kiss into her the palm of her hand, “I don’t want to do this,” he said sincerely, his heart throbbing in his chest when he saw her face light up for a fraction of a second, “But I have to do it. I’m sorry.”

The mage pulled his face out of her hands, gently replacing hers at her sides. She gaped, her heart freezing in her chest as her blood ran cold. No, no this couldn’t be happening. Not Anders. Not to her. He wouldn’t do that. 

But he was doing that. 

He stepped backwards, walking towards the door with his gaze fixed on her, as if this was the last time he’d ever see her, “Don’t blame yourself for anything that happens next,” was the last thing he said before he left.

Marian stared at the door, watching the space where he left her sight. Maybe, just maybe he’d come back. 

He didn’t come back. 

She sank to her knees and sobbed. That’s how Bodahn found her the next morning. Anders didn’t even bring it up the next time they spoke. That was the first time he betrayed her.

 

* * *

The Chantry exploded. Marian still couldn’t believe it. What was he thinking? There were people,  _ innocent _ people in there. He didn’t even think for a second the consequences of his actions. He didn’t think. She was livid. If only she’d been there with him, she could have talked him out of this. Got  _ through _ to him. This was his fault. In more than one way. 

But she could have helped.

“There isn’t anything for you to say that I haven’t already said to myself,” Anders said, head bowed, “I took a spirit into my soul and changed myself forever to achieve this. This is the justice all mages have awaited.”

Marian’s eyes narrowed. This wasn’t justice. This was vengeance, and it would help no one. She grit her teeth, “I might have understood. If you’d only told me.”

Anders turned to her, his face full of emotion, “I  _ wanted  _ to tell you,” She believed him, “But what if you stopped me? Or worse, what if you wanted to help?”

She would have. She would have wanted to help  _ him.  _ To help him see that there was a better way. This wasn’t the way. Dialogue. It was the only way things would ever change for the better: each side, mages and Templars, talking, understanding eachother. 

There would be no room for dialogue after this. 

He was continuing, voice saddened and sincere. She almost believed he still cared, “I couldn’t let you do that. The world needs to see this,” he gestured to the dead mages lying on the ground with disdain, “Then we could all stop pretending the Circle is a solution. If I pay for that with my life, then I pay. Perhaps then Justice would at least be free.”

It didn’t have to be like this. It didn’t have to end like this. 

“Maker, Anders,” Marian cried softly behind him, and he looked down. He couldn’t see her cry. Not again. “Why did you do this? We could have worked it out. Together. You didn’t have to involve me, but you didn’t have to be alone! We could have…”

“I wish we had more time too. But it was time. The world had to see.”

Marian screwed her eyes shut, clamping down harder on her teeth. Why did he have to be like this? He didn’t  _ have _ to be the martyr. He could have been the leader. He could have changed the world. Not died trying. And that was what had to happen. 

She cleared her throat, looking up into the boiling night sky, “You have to pay for what you’ve done,” she said, trying to keep her voice steady. 

There was a moment of silence. Her heart thudded in her ears. Could she even do it if she wanted to?

“I know. For what it’s worth, I’m glad it’s you,” tears slid down his cheeks. She always hated to see him cry, “It was nice to be happy… for a while.”

Her heart stopped in her chest. 

The world stopped spinning. Everything was still. 

Her chest ached, her mind was racing and tears were falling faster from their cheeks than they ever had. Why did he have to say that? Why did he have to make it more difficult than it already was?  _ Why? _

The blade shook in her hands. 

“Anders, I-”

“It’s alright, love. You have to do this.”

She swallowed thickly. She needed to do this. She had to. She had to hate him. 

Anders betrayed her. He betrayed his friends. He betrayed Kirkwall. He killed innocent people. This was wrong. There was no way this would turn out right. He had to be punished. For his crimes. For killing those people, unprovoked. The man in front of her was a killer. 

A traitor. 

She tightened her grip on the blade, reached it up and prepared to strike. This was it. This was right.    
“I  _ loved  _ you,” she said, before the blade fell, swooshing through the air and landing squarely in his back. 

But her mind screeched to a halt. The second before the blade sunk in, she heard his reply. 

_ “I love you.” _

The sound cut off with a gasp, and suddenly he was coughing around blood. 

Marian panicked, “No, no no! Anders, please!” The body in front of her was collapsing, he was falling, “Maker, what have I done?” She grabbed his hands in hers, pressing kisses over his knuckles, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I-”

She watched as another tear fell from Anders’ face, his fingers squeezing hers with the last bit of effort, just before the life drained from his face. His eyes fluttered shut. 

“No!  _ NO! Anders!”  _

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you guys enjoyed! Leave a comment or a kudos if you have the time! :P


End file.
